New Delhi | Feb 15, 2017: With an aim to double mining contribution to GDP, the government today launched TAMRA mobile application and portal to ensure transparent award of statutory clearances for mining operations.
Besides, the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) inked two separate pacts with Nalco and the Indian Bureau of Mines for preparing an action plan to deal with red mud and reclamation of abandoned mines.
The government has prepared an ambitious plan to put 280 mines with mineral reserves worth over Rs 10 lakh crore for bidding to increase the share of mining in Indian economy.
After the launch, Power, Coal and Mines Minister Piyush Goyal said, "In spirit of cooperation, the ambition to double the contribution of the mining sector to GDP is possible.
At present, it is 0.76 per cent." Goyal gave a hint of the urgency of the matter when he said: "We will not wait for a new law to come. We will bring about amendments to the rules to bring in transparency for award of exploration and production licences in 100 offshore mineral block."
Transparency Auction Monitoring and Resource Augmentation (TAMRA) Portal and Mobile Application is developed by the Ministry of Mines. TAMRA was simultaneously launched across 12 mineral rich states, with ministers of mining and senior officers connected through video-conferencing.
TAMRA, Goyal said, is a step to speed up mining activity in India and facilitate all the stakeholders to track the status of the statutory clearances associated with blocks for getting mines to reach till operationalisation for the same. It will be an interactive platform for all the stakeholders to compress the timeline for statutory and other clearances as it is expected to help minimise the gestation period for starting production.
TAMRA covers block-, state- and mineral-wise information of the blocks to be auctioned, monitors various statutory clearances and also highlights the additional resources generated through e-auction.
E-auctions have successfully been concluded so far for 21 mineral blocks by various states with a total resource base of Rs 93,190 crore. The total estimated revenue to state governments through the process of e-auction stands at Rs 73,359 crore.
In case of delay in obtaining any clearances, TAMRA will send out triggers to the authority concerned so that the remedial steps can be taken immediately. The mines ministry will also receive triggers generated by TAMRA, which will facilitate expediting clearances in case the timelines set against each of the statutory clearances are not met.
Further, the status of each of the clearances will be reflected on the portal. This portal also enables the successful bidder to provide suggestions and other inputs for improving the current process of issuing statutory clearances in the mining sector.
(Source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com/)